In the past, strap assembly latch devices of the over-center type have existed in a variety of shapes and sizes and are generally designed so that the path of the tightening and locking member is at right angles to the plane of the parts being held. Therefore, sufficient operating clearance must exist above the mounting plane of the over-center latch for its locking and unlocking operation. Therefore, these latch devices do not meet the requirement of a latch in which the latching device has a motion plane which is parallel to the surface of the parts to be held and of a low profile type.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an over-center latching device that has a low profile and a motion plane which is parallel to and close to the surface of the held parts.
Another object of this invention is to provide a latching device which has rotary motion and over-center clamping action.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a low profile latching device which has a spring action built therein to allow the latching device to give to the over-center latching action and at the same time exert sufficient holding force for tightly clamping the held parts.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will be obvious to those skilled in this art.